Submitted and
Review staff:
Rimbey RCMP have laid the charges against two drivers in respect to the circumstances surrounding a collision between a stopped school bus and a gravel truck last April near Rimbey that claimed the life of 17 year-old Jennifer Dawn Noble and sent two other students to hospital.
According to the RCMP, the collision occurred when an empty gravel truck, which was westbound on Highway #53, struck a Ford Explorer SUV which had stopped behind a school bus which was also stopped, picking up passengers. The gravel truck struck the right rear side of the Explorer and then struck the right rear corner of the school bus.
At the time of the collision there was heavy fog in the area.
The evidence collected in this investigation has been compiled and has been under consideration by crown prosecutors of the Alberta Attorney General’s Department. As a result, 47 year-old Peter Oliver Jorgensen of Rimbey, the driver of the gravel truck, has been charged with Drive Carelessly in violation of the Highway Safety Act, and with Speed Too Fast For Road Conditions in violation of Use of the Highway and Rules of the Road Regulations.
Also charged in the collision was 61 year-old Ron Adam who has been charged with Fail to Unload and Load at a Safe Time/Place in violation of School Bus Operation Regulations.
Both men have been served with court appearance documentation and the first court appearance has been set for October 3rd, 2008 in Rimbey Provincial Court.
Shortly after the press release regarding charges being laid in the collision, the Rimbey Review was contacted by Ted Dillon who is acting as spokesman for the parents of Jennifer Noble, who issued the following statement:
“It has been a long and tough six months for the family. With the 2008 Grad Ceremony now complete and the investigation finalized, it is hopeful we can put the accident behind us and start the healing process. We are glad to see charges laid against those vehicles directly involved. Jenny was the innocent victim in all of this doing nothing wrong but suffered the ultimate price. Nothing can or will change the outcome or bring Jenny back to us. We have no recourse other than a government-determined payout for our lost daughter. It is hopeful that overall, something good will come of this tragedy so no one else has to experience what we have.”
Signed - Jim and Donna Noble
At approximately 8:15 on the morning of April 9, 2008, the school bus was involved in a collision on Highway 53 three kilometres east of Highway 22 near Rimbey.
A preliminary investigation at the time indicated the westbound bus was stopped and in the process of picking up rural students for transportation to school. At the same time, a sports utility vehicle (SUV) had stopped behind the bus. A short time later, a gravel truck, which was also westbound, struck both the SUV and the school bus from behind.
According to a statement released by the RCMP at the time, an investigation was immediately launched that was looking into all aspects of the collision including weather and road conditions along with all aspects of the drivers involved including their physical state, driving abilities and mechanical evaluations of the vehicles involved.
Members of the local RCMP Detachment along with the RCMP Criminal Collision Investigation Team conducted the investigation.